Thieves targeting Inspire’s Animal Park in Marsascala made off with a baby deer, four mountain goats and a parrot in the robbery which took place during the night between Sunday and Monday.
The parrot which was stolen was donated by students at San Anton School, who carried out fund-raising activities for this aim. The goats and the deer, on the other hand, were born in the park.
The policy of Inspire is a strict one, which does not allow for any purchasing of exotic animals. The monkeys and deer were donated a number of years ago by pet owners who for various reasons, couldn’t keep them.
Inspire said “the animals are highly valued, as obtaining them from overseas requires a lengthy process”. Strict precautions are taken to ensure the animals are well cared for, and they are regularly visited by vets.
For the animals’ wellbeing no lights are left on during the night in their areas and they are not locked in small pens, but ironically this made it easier for the thieves. Inspire said this made it easy to “steal from a charity which has been giving services to people with disabilities in our society for more then 20 years”.
The incident, which happened during the night, did not necessitate any ramming of doors or gates and no property was damaged, as it is suspected that the thieves got in through the back of the building.
The police investigating the case, which is not the first of its kind, have ordered a further forensic investigation to be carried out. A number of CCTVs were installed around the main building in the past, however the logistics and expense of covering the extensive animal park proved too demanding for the charity.
The Animal Park, which is a unique environment in Malta set over five tumoli of landscaped gardens, provides an educational setting for people of all abilities to interact with animals.
The park provides a natural setting in a well-kept outdoor facility. It is home to an array of animals, either donated or nurtured from adverse conditions. Inspire keeps the animals in the best possible conditions, and provides them with the care of specialists.
Children love the park in particular because it provides a unique petting and feeding experience. The care of these animals is considered to be therapeutic for children having a disability and therefore form an integral part of Inspire’s disability programmes for therapy and recreation.
It is as yet unknown who may have been involved in the robbery, but anyone having information about the whereabouts of these animals is being asked to contact the police.